Our Lucy
by Oneturtledove
Summary: Lucy spends some time with her favorite people, and Mac and Stella spend some time with their favorite person.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or the songs. Deal.

Spoilers: None

A/N: This is what happens when your playlist is on shuffle and your friend is an enabler.

For Jenna because I like that girl. And I haven't talked to her in a long time. And when I think of NY, I think of Jenna. And Jeeps, but that is beside the point. Triangles.

For Landon and Emma who are the Lucy(s) to my Stella.

* * *

Lucy Messer laid on the couch, eating dry cereal and watching cartoons. She tapped her size nine Dora shoes against the cushions, giggling at the antics of the Pink Panther. She was staying with Mac and Stella for the week while Danny and Lindsay took a short vacation. Lucy was more than thrilled to get to stay all by herself with her favorite people and their dog Chumley. Stella had been off work the last few days, and the two of them had spend a lot of time shopping, coloring, and playing at the park. But today Stella was at work, and Mac was home with Lucy. In her three year old mind, Lucy knew that Mac wasn't as fun as Stella, but at least he tried, and that was what counted.

"Hey Lucy-Moo. What do you want to do today?"

She chewed on a marshmallow charm and tapped her chin.

"Well I don't actually know."

"We can do anything you want to."

"Can we go to Disney World?"

"Okay, almost anything you want," he said with a chuckle. She grinned back at him.

"I want to watch cartoons, and then eat a pickle for lunch. And after that I want to play Barbies."

"Any chance you'd want to help me clean the house for Stella?"

Her eyes lit up and she jumped off the couch, nearly spilling her Lucky Charms.

"Can I for realsies?"

"You really want to?"

"Yeah! I like to do the dusting. I do the short parts and daddy does the tall ones. Mommy turns on music too. Can we listen to music?"

"Sure," he said with a chuckle. He had never even imagined such a strange child. She was honestly jumping up and down, thrilled beyond belief to be cleaning the house.

"Chumley could help us, My Mac! Hims tail could do dustin' too!"

"I think we'd better let him out into the yard while we clean. You know how he likes to mess things up."

"Yes, hims a dirty boy."

He smiled and let the dog out into the backyard, then got a laundry basket and began to gather all the dirty laundry from around the house. Lucy followed after him, picking up socks and humming along to the radio.

"Daddy putted too much soap in one time," she said, standing on her tip-toes, trying to look into the washer. "Mommy said a bad word."

"She did?"

"Uh-huh. The water gotted all on the floor."

"You know what would happen if I did that?"

"My Stella would say "McCanna Boyd Taylor!" and maybe punch you in the arm."

"You're probably right, Luce," he agreed, turning the washer on. "Want to help me wash the dishes?"

"As long as the water isn't too hot."

"We're just going to rinse them and put them in the dishwasher."

She smiled and hopped up on the chair he brought over to the sink. He turned the water on and she stuck her finger in it. They rinsed the dishes in silence, listening to the music that he had switched on.

"When are mommy and daddy coming home?"

"The day after tomorrow. Do you miss them?"

"Kinda."

"They'll call and talk to you tonight or in the morning."

"You promise-trust?"

"Yes."

She smiled as he closed the dishwasher and turned it on.

"I think we deserve a break. What do you think?"

"Okay!" she said, running into the other room and sliding across the wood floor in her sock feet. "Can you do that?"

He nodded and repeated her action, hoping she didn't see him almost biff it. She giggled and he picked her up and spun her around, starting to dance as a new song began.

_She's got a smile that it seems to me  
Reminds me of childhood memories  
Where everything  
Was as fresh as the bright blue sky  
Now and then when I see her face  
She takes me away to that special place  
And if I'd stare too long  
I'd probably break down and cry_

_Sweet child o' mine  
Sweet love of mine_

_She's got eyes of the bluest skies  
As if they thought of rain  
I hate to look into those eyes  
And see an ounce of pain  
Her hair reminds me of a warm safe place  
Where as a child I'd hide  
And pray for the thunder  
And the rain  
To quietly pass me by_

_Sweet child o' mine  
Sweet love of mine_

She giggled as he sang the song, and laughed outright when he held her sideways, tickling her stomach and using her for a guitar. The song ended and they collapsed on the couch both laughing and out of breath. Lucy sat up and jumped onto his chest, squeezing his face between her hands.

"Again, again!"

"I don't think I can."

"Please? For me? I'll be your Lucy-Moo forever."

He laughed and kissed her cheeks.

"Maybe after lunch. I'm exhausted."

"Daddy says 'pooped'."

"Yeah, I'm that too."

* * *

Stella came home with tired feed and a bag of take-out, ready to sit down and close her eyes. It had been a very long day, and she didn't think rest would be forthcoming with a three year old in the house.

"I'm home!" she called, stepping through the door.

"My Stella!" Lucy squealed from the kitchen. "We's makin' brownies!"

Stella laughed and went into the kitchen were Lucy was sitting on the counter, covered with flour and cocoa powder.

"What happened?"

"We had a spill," Lucy said with a shrug, licking the rubber spatula that Mac gave her. "I cleaned it up."

"I can see that, baby girl," Stella said, leaning down to wipe some batter off of her chin.

"Did you miss me while you were workin'?"

"Of course I did," she replied, kissing Lucy's cheek.

"Did you miss me?" Mac asked. She rolled her eyes, but leaned over to kiss him anyway.

"I tried not to."

"My Stella, we cleaned the whole entire house! We even mopped the floor and My Mac teached me how to wash the windows."

"Didn't you feel like Cinderella?"

"Yep, b'cept I don't have no mice friends."

"I'm glad. Are you hungry for dinner?"

"I am half starved."

They plated up the Chinese food and took it into the other room, sitting on the floor in front of the TV. Lucy picked the movie _Babe_ singing along with the mouse trio, and giggling at the antics of the other animals.

She started to get tired, her giggles getting quieter and quieter until her eyes were glassy.

"Baby girl, I think it's time for a bath and bed."

"Can I have bubbles?"

"Sure."

They made their way into the bathroom, leaving Mac to clean up the dishes. Lucy undressed and climbed into the tub, squishing the bubbles between her fingers.

"Can I wash your hair, Luce?"

"Okay, but don't get water in my eyes like daddy sometimes does."

"Alright, I won't."

She carefully washed and rinsed Lucy's blonde hair, then helped her out of the tub and into some pajamas.

"Do you want a story tonight?" Mac asked as he came into the room.

"Can you sing to me? Mommy and daddy sing to me."

"I don't think we can sing very well, Luce."

"Speak for yourself, Mr. Taylor," Stella said, smacking his arm.

He smiled and picked Lucy up, taking her out of the bathroom and into the bedroom she was using. He walked her over to the window and she sleepily pointed out a few constellations, her nighttime ritual.

"What song do you want us to sing, baby girl?" Stella asked, coming to stand beside them.

"The one you singed to me last time. Remember? The bushel and a peck?"

Mac grinned at Stella, recalling the old Doris Day song that Lucy had loved so much. Of course, last time they had sung along to the CD, but they figured they could manage acapella.

"_I love you a bushel and a peck  
A bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck  
A hug around the neck and a barrel and a heap  
A barrel and a heap and I'm talkin' in my sleep  
About you, about you  
'Cause I love you a bushel and a peck  
You bet your purdy neck I do_

_A doodle-oodle-ooh-doo  
A-doodle-oodle-oodle-ooh-doo_

_I love you a bushel and a peck  
A bushel and a peck though you make my heart a wreck  
Make my heart a wreck and you make my life a mess  
Make my life a mess, yes a mess of happiness  
About you, about you  
'Cause I love you a bushel and a peck  
You bet your purdy neck I do_

_A doodle-oodle-ooh-doo  
A-doodle-oodle-oodle-ooh-doo."_

They finished singing and Lucy snored gently against Mac's shoulder. He carefully laid her in the bed and tucked her in tightly, kissing her forehead. Stella stooped down and repeated the action, her heart constricting just a little with love for this little girl, who wasn't even her flesh and blood. She had never loved someone so much, especially not for no reason. It had just happened without her really knowing it.

"Come on, Mrs. Taylor. Let's let her sleep."

They slipped from the room and walked across the hallway to theirs. Mac rubbed at his eyes and sighed, rolling his neck from side to side.

"I'm gonna hop in the shower. I'll be out in a few minutes."

She nodded and changed her clothes, then sat down on the bed, pulling the basket of laundry towards her. She started to fold them, her mind not on anything in particular. Towel, towel, sock, pants, towel. Lucy's shirt. She looked down at the screen print on it and smiled. _Someone at the New York Crime Lab LOVES ME _was emblazoned across it. It had been a present from Adam the previous Christmas, and Lucy wore it at least three times a week.

Stella felt a small twinge in her heart. She wanted a baby. It was there, plain and simple. She wanted to be a mother, to have a child to love and care for all the time. Though she couldn't imagine loving another child as much as she loved Lucy, she knew it was possible. It would be her child. Hers and Macs. Her stomach started to ache as the realization that having a child of their own was probably just a dream hit her. It really hurt.

"_My Stella, I love you the mostest of the most. Even more than My Mac does! That's a lot of love for one person."_

"_You're the bestest in the whole entire world and outer space!"_

"_I need a cuddle. Will you cuddle me, My Stella?"_

"_I missed you so much when you were gone! Next time can I go with you?"_

She smiled to herself, suddenly extremely content with the way things were. Maybe it wasn't what she had secretly pictured, but it gave her a purpose she didn't know was missing.

"Honey? Where are you at?" Mac asked, waving a hand in front of her face.

"Sorry."

"You need sleep," he commented, brushing his fingers down her cheek. She nodded and put the stacks of folded clothes back into the basket, then climbed into the bed next to her husband. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"Stell?"

"Hmm?"

"_I love you a bushel and a peck  
A bushel and a peck and it beats me all to heck  
It beats me all to heck, how I'll ever tend the farm  
Ever tend the farm when I wanna keep my arm  
About you, about you  
'Cause I love you a bushel and a peck  
You bet your purdy neck I do_."

She smiled and leaned up to kiss him.

"I love you too, Mac. Even though your voice is terrible."

"Night, honey."

"Goodnight."

There was a knock on the door and it squeaked open slowly.

"I'm lonely."

That was all it took for them to let her climb up into their bed. She nestled herself between them, reaching up to twist one of Stella's curls around her finger.

"Goodnight My Mac. Goodnight, My Stella."

"Goodnight, My Lucy."

"No, she's my Lucy!" Mac protested, pulling Lucy closer to him.

"Nu-uh, she's mine."

Lucy giggled.

"My Lucy!"

"My Lucy!"

"You guys need to learn sharing," Lucy commented, shaking her head and sliding her thumb into her mouth.

"Okay, okay. Our Lucy."

She nodded.

"That's better."

They each gave her another goodnight kiss, and the trio settled down for the night, happy and content to just be each others.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I wasn't planning on this being more than a one shot, but I just love "My Mac" and "My Stella" and can't stop writing them. I have ideas for a few more chapters now too.

* * *

The phone rang at four-thirty a.m., and Stella groaned as she turned over, fumbling with the mess on her nightstand to find it. She was used to calls in the wee hours of the morning, but that didn't mean she liked them.

"Ah, I had twenty minutes left to sleep," Mac groaned, clapping his hand over his eyes.

"This had better be good," she agreed, finally finding the phone and flipping it open. "What?"

"Stell, it's Danny."

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry it's so early but-"

She heard a loud grumble in the background.

"Danny, would you just ask her already?"

"Stell, Lindsay's in labor and her mom doesn't fly in for three days so we need you to take Lucy."

"Yeah. Want me to come get her?"

"No, we'll drop her off on the way. We're headed out now."

"Alright. We'll be here."

She turned the phone off and sighed, resting her head on Mac's shoulder.

"What's going on?"

"Lindsay's in labor."

"She always goes at the most inopportune times."

"You should have quit teasing her about castor oil and prunes like she asked you to."

"Well, I'm a sucker for babies."

"Mac Taylor, you old softie."

"Hey, hey, hey. I'm not old."

She smiled as he spun a lock of her hair around his finger.

"I love Lucy, but I did not get enough sleep for her."

"Maybe she'll be asleep when they get here."

"Maybe if I'm lucky. Want me to make you breakfast before you go?"

"You don't have to."

"Would you like it if I did?"

"Waffles do kind of sound good."

"Waffles it is. When are you going in?"

"Six. I have a lot of paperwork to do."

"Slackin' again, Taylor?"

"Asks the woman who doesn't do her paperwork until it is four days overdue."

"So sue me."

"The state might."

"You're a riot, honey."

"That's why they pay me the big bucks."

"Speaking of big bucks, the sink is leaking again."

"Flack owes me a favor. I'll make him fix it."

"Last time he fixed something he used duct tape and superglue. You know how that turned out."

"Okay, so he's not exactly Bob the Builder."

She erupted into giggles at the thought of Flack in a construction hat and flannel.

"I don't even know what to say."

"My first victory."

"Man, you're mean when you first wake up."

"I'll be nicer when I have waffles."

She smiled and leaned up to kiss him.

"Four in the morning is a very unforgiving time of day."

"Yeah, but you can take a nap later."

"We'll see."

She stood from the bed and pulled her bathrobe on.

"You want eggs and bacon too?"

"Yes please."

"Give me fifteen minutes."

"Ready, go."

She smiled and made her way into the kitchen, turning on the lights as she went. The floor creaked under her feet as she walked to the window, staring out on the blueness of dawn. It reminded her of her childhood, waking up as early as she could just so she could be alone in the stillness.

She pulled the freezer open and took out the box of waffles. Cooking had never really been her thing, at least when it came to breakfast, but she liked cooking for Mac, so she made do. He didn't have to know that the waffles she made were frozen and cooked in the microwave.

Mac joined her a few minutes later, just as the bacon and eggs were ready to come off the stove. He slid his arms around her from behind, nuzzling her neck.

"Know what?"

"You like seeing me chained to the stove?"

"No. I like your messy bedhead."

"How can you even tell the difference between bedhead and regular?"

"Regular has that stuff in it that smells good. Bedhead just smells like you."

"Mac…" she said, a grin spreading across her face.

"Hey, we said we were always going to be honest with each other."

"Well yes, but-"

She was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"I'll get it. You eat."

He sat down at the table and she crossed the room to the door, opening it to find Danny with a sleepy Lucy on his shoulder.

"Sorry it's so early," he said, stepping inside. Lindsay stepped in behind him, one hand resting on her back, the other on her stomach.

"You okay, Linds?" Stella asked, noticing the pallor of her friends face.

"I want you to think about that question for just a second, Stell."

"Sorry."

Danny and Stella exchanged a look, and he handed Lucy to her.

"We'll call and keep you updated. We really appreciate this."

"It's not a problem. Me and Lucy will have fun. Right, baby girl?"

"I wanna go with mommy," Lucy said, rubbing her eyes. "I wanna see the baby."

"It's going to be a while before the baby is born. We can do something fun while we wait."

"No, I wanna go with mommy!" she whined, reaching for Lindsay.

"Honey you'll be bored at the hospital. You stay with Stella and you can come and see me later, okay?"

Lucy jutted out her lower lip and gave them the puppy dog eyes, but soon figured it was fruitless.

"We'd better go," Danny said, wrapping his arm around Lindsay's shoulders. "She needs drugs."

"Shut up, Danny."

She smiled and they kissed Lucy goodbye before making their way back to the car.

"I want my momma," Lucy said, sniffling and burying her face in Stella's shoulder.

"You want to eat breakfast with Mac? There's waffles."

"Okay. Is there syrup?"

"Yes, there is."

She set Lucy down on the floor and went to the stove to make a plate for her.

"Mornin' sweet face," Mac said, lifting Lucy into his lap. "You want some bacon?"

"Can I have the big piece?"

"Sure."

She picked the bacon up off the plate and studied it for a moment, then broke it into small pieces and ate them, wiping her fingers on her pajama top.

"You're such a lady, Lucy-Moo."

She smiled as Stella settled a plate down in front of her.

"I like this bacon," she said. "Is there more?"

"Yes, there's more. Finish what's on your plate and you can have some."

Lucy ate enthusiastically with her fingers, getting syrup on her face and in the ends of her hair. Mac and Stella just watched her, figuring she could always have a bath later.

"I've gotta head out," Mac said after a while, standing up from the table.

"Can I go to work with you?" Lucy asked. She had spent more time around the lab as she got older, coloring in Mac's office or sitting and listening to music with Adam while he waited for test results.

"Not today. Maybe you and Stella can come and have lunch with me later."

"Can we, My Stella?"

"If we can take a nap later, then yes."

"I don't take naps anymore. I'm four, remember?"

"Yeah, well sometimes you make special exceptions."

"But I'm four," she protested, stressing the word.

"Yeah, well Stella's fort-"

"Hush up, Taylor."

He smiled and kissed them both before grabbing his coat and heading for the door.

"Keep me updated."

"We will. Be safe."

He nodded and left the apartment and Stella crouched down in front of Lucy, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"You want to go back to sleep or watch cartoons?"

"Cartoons, cartoons!" she said, bouncing in her seat.

"Okay. Let's get you a bath and some clean clothes and then we'll turn on some cartoons."

"I don't take baths in the morning."

"You do today, syrup hair," Stella answered, showing Lucy the sticky substance.

"I could get it out myself," Lucy shrugged, sticking the strand of hair in her mouth.

"Oh Luce, that's gross."

"It tastes good."

"Baby, you never fail to make me laugh."

"That's what mommy says."

* * *

Stella slung her purse over her shoulder and held Lucy's coat out for her.

"But what are we gonna get?" Lucy asked, sliding her arms into the coat, then fixing the tutu she had insisted on wearing over her jeans.

"We're getting a present for the baby."

"But we don't even know what it likes."

"Most babies like the same things. Wouldn't you like to pick out something that is just from you for the baby?"

"Sure. Did you buy a present for me when I was born?"

"Yeah. I got you a pink dress and some booties, and later I got you Baby Baby."

"You gived me Baby Baby?" Lucy asked as they left the apartment. "She's my favorite!"

"I know. Maybe we can find something for your brother or sister that they'll love that much too."

Lucy seemed excited about that as they got into the car. She hummed along with the radio as they drove, kicking her shoes against the seat.

"My Stella?"

"Yeah?"

"How is mommy gonna get the baby out of her tummy?"

"Um… well… a doctor is going to do it."

"How?"

"I… don't know."

"But you know everything!"

"Maybe you should just ask mommy when we see her."

"Okay. Will the baby be able to talk?"

"No, not for a while."

"Well how's it even supposed to tell me thank you for the present?"

"I don't know honey."

"Can I even play with this darn baby?"

"Eventually yes, but you're going to have to be patient."

"I'm always patient, My Stella."

"I know, and you're very good at it. And if you're really, really good at it, we can have hot dogs for lunch."

"Okay."

Stella glanced into the rearview mirror just in time to see Lucy stick her thumb in her mouth and lean against the window.

"Are you tired baby?"

"Yes, but I am too big for a nap."

"Alright. We'll see how you feel after lunch. Okay?"

"Mm-hmm."

* * *

"But I want them please!"

"I have candy at home Luce."

"But I want these ones!" Lucy shouted as tears rolled down her face. "I need them!"

"You don't need them Lucy. Now let's go."

"I don't wanna go! I want my daddy!"

"We'll see your daddy soon honey. But we need to leave and have lunch-"

"I DON'T WANT LUNCH!" she screamed, her fists clenched at her sides. "I want my daddy!"

"Lucy, you're going to go into timeout when we get home."

"You're mean! You hate me! I want my DADDY!"

Lucy threw herself on the floor and began to scream, kicking her legs and pounding her fists in a way that Stella had only seen in movies. She had never seen Lucy like this or anywhere resembling even a case of the I Wants. For a moment she just stood there, unsure of what to do, but she finally crouched down and stilled Lucy's hands.

"I want my daddy."

"I know, baby. I know you're hungry and tired and we need to go home, okay? Take a deep breath and settle down."

Lucy hiccupped and sat up, wiping her eyes.

"Oh sweetheart," Stella sighed using her sleeve to wipe Lucy's nose. "We should have had a nap first, huh?"

Lucy just nodded and held her hands out. Stella picked her up and got to her feet, trying to figure out how to hold Lucy and steer the cart.

"We're going to check out and then we'll go home for lunch, alright?"

Lucy nodded and they made their way to the register. Stella knew what had caused the explosion and she really didn't want to punish Lucy for it. She'd only had to punish her a few times, but usually made up for it with lots of hugs and kisses later.

Finally all of their purchases were paid for and bagged and they were headed back out to the car.

"I was bad, My Stella," Lucy said once she was buckled into her seat.

"I don't think you meant to be, sweetie. Let's forget it ever happened, okay?"

"You still love me?"

"Of course! You could never ever in a million years do anything that would make me stop loving you."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"Okay. I promise too."

* * *

When Mac came home a few hours later, he found Lucy and Stella curled up on the couch, both in a deep sleep. He always loved seeing them together, seeing Stella in a mothering role. It made his heart clench to watch them, and he knelt down by the couch, brushing a curl off of Stella's forehead.

"Mac?"

"Hi honey. Danny just called me."

"Is the baby here?"

"Yeah. It's a boy. Nine pounds, fifteen ounces."

"How'd Lindsay manage that?"

"I would imagine with lots of drugs."

"Do they have a name?"

"Not yet. He said that we can bring Luce down whenever she's ready."

"She's been sleeping for about two hours. We can probably wake her up."

"I heared you talking," Lucy muttered, lifting her head from Stella's chest. "I waked up."

"Sweetheart, do you want to go and see your baby brother?"

"And mommy and daddy?"

"Yeah, they'll be there."

"Can I wear my tutu and my tiara?"

"Luce, are you going to be a princess or a ballerina?"

"I want to be both, My Mac. Can I?"

"Well, you'd be a very busy girl."

"I like to be busy."

Mac smiled and tweaked her nose.

"Just like your mama. Do you want to go now?"

"Yes please."

They gathered her things and piled into the car. Lucy twisted her hair around her finger and hummed to herself as she looked out the window.

"What are baby brothers like? Do they cry a lot?"

"Some babies do and some don't."

"Did I cry a lot?"

"No, you didn't. You were a pretty good baby. You liked to blow spit bubbles."

"I still like that sometimes."

Mac laughed.

"You also liked to put things in your mouth."

"What kinds of things?"

"Anything you could grab. Your toys, your socks, leaves, Uncle Flack's credit card."

"Did I eat them?"

"No, you just slobbered a lot."

"Will I get to hold my brother at the hospital?"

"Probably."

"Will he like me right away?"

"If he's awake he will, but new babies sleep a lot. We'll have to wait and see."

"So I gotta be quiet, huh?"

"Yeah, quiet and tippytoes."

"I will practice right now," she whispered, holding her hand over her mouth.

They made it all the way to the hospital and up to the maternity ward before Lucy said anything.

"Did we bring the present for my brother?"

"No, we left it at home. We'll give it to him later."

"So he doesn't have to carry it home, right?"

"Right."

They knocked on the door and Stella peeked her head in.

"You guys ready for some company?"

They nodded and Stella ushered Lucy into the room.

"Mommy!" she whispered loudly, rushing over to the side of the bed. "Where's my brother?"

"He's right here, sweetie. Maybe daddy can lift you up so you can see him."

"Yes please."

Danny lifted her onto the bed and she peered down into the blankets, her mouth forming a little 'o'.

"Mommy, he's pink!"

"Babies are supposed to be a little pink. It means he's healthy."

"He has lots of yellow hair like me! Is his eyes my color of eyes?"

"He has blue eyes right now. Some babies eyes change color after they get older."

"Can I hold him, mommy?"

"Of course. Remember how we learned with your dolls?"

"Yep. I gotta keep his head up because it's big and his neck is little. Also I can't wiggle very much."

"That's right. And we have to be careful when we move him so he doesn't wake up."

Lucy nodded and they placed the baby into her arms.

"He's heavy, mommy. He needs a diet."

Mac and Stella chuckled quietly.

"Did you guys land on a name?" Stella asked as Mac sat down in the chair by the window. She perched on the arm of the chair and his hand came up to rest on the small of her back.

"Well I wanted to call 'im Jude," Danny started with a grin. "I thought it would be cool if both our kids were named after Beatles songs."

"And Lindsay shot that down?"

"With an AK-47. And as she so lovingly reminded me, she is the one doin' all the work here, so I had to give in."

"So what is my baby's name?" Lucy asked with a sigh.

"His name is Jack. Jack McCanna Messer."

"He has a name like My Mac!"

"Yes, he does."

She smiled and leaned down to kiss the baby's cheek.

"I like him, mommy. Can we take him home now?"

"In the morning, sweetie."

"We have to leave him here?" she asked, her chin starting to quiver.

"Mama's going to stay here with him so he won't be alone," Danny explained, reaching over to tuck her hair behind her ear.

"But who's going to stay with mommy?"

"I'll be okay here, honey. You can go home with daddy."

"Won't baby Jack miss me?"

"He'll be sleeping."

"Can I come get him in the morning?"

"Yes, you can."

"Okay. My Stella you wanna hold baby Jack?"

"Sure sweetie."

They transferred the baby once again and Lucy curled up next to Lindsay, sighing and reaching up to play with her mother's hair.

"Mommy?"

"Yeah baby?"

"I love you."

"I love you too honey."

Mac and Stella stayed for a few more minutes, then started to say their goodbyes.

"I know your mom's going to be here soon, but until then if you guys need anything, don't hesitate to call."

"Thanks Stell. We'll try not to make it so early in the morning next time."

"Don't worry about it, Linds. Whatever time you need us, we're there."

"My Mac?" Lucy whispered as he picked her up to say goodbye.

"Yeah?"

"You love baby Jack, right?"

"Of course I do."

"But you still love me too, right?"

"Always, little girl. You're the only Lucy I've got after all."

She smiled as he kissed her cheek.

"I'll see you later, okay? You be good."

She nodded and he passed her to Danny before taking Stella's hand and leading her from the room.

"I'm so tired," she said, yawning as they waited for the elevator.

"Let's go home and have some dinner and go to bed."

"I think I want a bubble bath somewhere in there."

"As long as you promise not to fall asleep in there like last time."

She smiled as he pulled her into his arms.

"Kids are exhausting, huh?"

"Worth it, but yes."

"I love you, Stell."

"I love you too, Mac."


	3. Chapter 3

Lucy bounced excitedly in her chair, her pigtails whipping her back with every move. She was so excited she could hardly stand it, and the suspense was killing her. She looked at the door every few minutes and had even stared at the clock, even though she didn't know how to tell time yet.

It was career day in her kindergarten class and originally, Danny was going to come to talk to her class. Then he got called into court, so Lindsay said she would do it. But yesterday Jack had come down with a really bad cold. Lucy had been worried that no one would show up for her, and she would be the only kid in her class with no "parent" on career day. She was certain it would make her a social outcast for the rest of her life. Lindsay had assured her that come eleven o'clock, someone would be there for her. She was excited to see who it would be.

Her converse clad toes tapped against the floor and she chewed on her fingernail. Her dad would have said she had ants in her pants. Her mom would have said she had crawdads in her britches. Either way, she was having a hard time sitting still.

She watched the clock again, knowing that when the big hand touched the twelve, that meant it was "o'clock." It only made sense then that the other hand needed to be touching the eleven at the same time for it to be eleven o'clock. Satisfied with figuring it out herself, she stared out the window at the parking lot. There were a few parents arriving, some she recognized as her friend's parents. She squinted a little, trying to see further out, but having no luck. Sighing, she went back to her class work, diligently copying the short words onto the lined paper. Her tongue crept out of her lips as she pressed pencil to paper quickly getting lost in her work. Everyone said she was just like her mom when she worked, shutting the world out getting a one track mind. She wasn't sure what it meant, but she loved being like her mom, so she would just smile at the compliment.

She didn't look up again until the room got noisy, with parents entering and greeting their children. She whipped her head around and stared intently at the door, gripping the back of her chair tightly while she waited. It seemed that every kid had a parent with them and she was starting to panic. Maybe her mom had been wrong. Maybe no one was going to show up. Maybe she would be the alone kid for real. Her bottom lip crept out and she could feel tears welling in her eyes.

She wouldn't cry in front of her friends. She wasn't a baby and this wasn't a big deal. Sometimes adults had to work. She knew that. She understood, and she wasn't mad at them for leaving her, but knowing that didn't make her feel any less abandoned. She started to turn around in her seat when she saw someone out of the corner of her eye.

"My Mac!" she shouted, jumping up from her chair and running to the door. She crashed into his legs and he lifted her up, giving her a hug. "I was scared no one was coming!"

"Well we all fought over who got to come, and I won," he teased.

"Didja tell everyone neener neener neener?"

"No, but I wanted to."

She giggled and he set her back down on the ground, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Go sit down, Luce."

She smiled and went back to her seat, turning around to make a goofy face at him. He half smiled, then made a twirling motion with his finger. She shrugged her shoulders and faced forward, placing her hands nicely on the desk. Mac chuckled to himself as he watched her, noticing the way her feet twitched and how she twirled her hair around her finger. The older she got, the more he saw Danny in her. Constantly moving, her brain going a million miles an hour, and totally passionate about everything. And then he saw Lindsay in her too, a long winded, fast talker who had a comment for almost everything. A perfect blend of her parents could only mean one thing. Lucy was going to be trouble someday. He just hoped she stayed the kind of trouble that made him laugh, rather than the kind that would mean beating the boys off with a stick.

* * *

"Are you takin' me home?" Lucy asked, skipping along beside him, her pink backpack sliding off her shoulder.

"Actually, I'm going to take you back to the lab and we'll meet your dad there."

"Can we get lunch first? I'm so hungry."

"Sure, we'll find some junk food in the vending machine. Just don't tell mommy."

"Okay! Know what? I teached myself how to tell time today!"

"You did?" he asked, opening the car door and lifting her in. She crawled into her car seat and buckled herself in, while Mac reached over and tied her shoe.

"Yep. I can only tell the o'clocks, but I'm going to figure out the rest."

"I bet you will."

She kept chattering as they drove back to the lab, telling him about all the kids in her class, why she liked them or didn't like them and which ones she wanted to be friends with forever. She barely took a breath as they drove, and he could tell she was getting tired. She usually had a short nap after school, but he figured she could crash on the couch in his office until Danny could take her home.

They arrived at the lab and made their way to his office. Lucy tossed her backpack onto the couch, then climbed into Mac's desk chair.

"My Mac, can I do some coloring?"

"Sure. You stay here and I'll go find some lunch."

She nodded and pulled open the bottom drawer, taking out her coloring book and crayons. Mac smiled to himself. Never in a million years would he guess that he would have such things in his desk. There was also play-doh and some small puzzles in that drawer, and Lucy could keep herself occupied for hours when Danny and Lindsay were working.

Mac went into the small kitchen and found some frozen corndogs. He heated them in the microwave and put a little bit of ketchup onto Lucy's plate before grabbing two water bottles from the fridge and heading back to his office.

"Mmm, that smells yummy!" Lucy exclaimed as he put the corndog down in front of her. "Mommy and daddy don't like corndogs, so we never eat them at our house."

"Did I ever tell you about the time your mommy ate bugs?"

She giggled.

"That's daddy's favorite story. He calls her bug breath and she tells him to "shut up, Messer." It makes me laugh all the time."

They finished their lunch quickly and Lucy sighed, looking around the office.

"My Mac?"

"What, honey?"

"Could you teach me the guitar?" she asked, pointing to the guitar that stood in the corner. He played bass now, but he had started on guitar, and still like to pick it up every once in a while.

"I could try. I don't think I would be a very good teacher though."

"Please, oh please! I would really like it."

"Alright, let's see what we can do."

He picked the guitar up and sat down on the couch and Lucy crawled into his lap. He settled the guitar somewhat awkwardly, but in a position where she could at least strum on it.

"Why don't you tell me what you know."

"Well, I know that you have to move your fingers over here and you strum over here. I just don't know how one hand talks to the other one and tells it what to do."

He chuckled and handed her the pick, letting her strum a few times before showing her how to finger pick.

"That kind of hurts my fingers."

"Yeah, it's not that pleasant, but you get used to it."

"How long did it take you to learn this, My Mac?"

"It took a while, but it's one of those things that you never forget."

She smiled as Stella poked her head in the door.

"Hey you two."

"My Stella! Guess what we're doing!"

"Um, I think you're washing my car."

"Why are you so silly?"

"I've been around Mac too long."

"Yeah, sure," Lucy giggled, rolling her eyes.

"I'm on my way downstairs, but I just wanted to say hi."

"What time are you going to be done?" Mac asked while Lucy strummed lightly on the guitar.

"A few hours. I'll know more after I talk to Sid."

"Okay. Let me know."

She leaned down and kissed him, then tweaked Lucy's nose before leaving the room.

"My Mac?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm very tired now."

He nodded and moved the guitar to one of the chairs.

"You can take a little nap on the couch if you want to."

She nodded and laid down with a sigh.

"My Mac?"

"Yeah sweetie?"

"Thank you for talking to my class today. Even though I accidentally said you were a defective."

He chuckled and kissed her cheek.

"Anytime, little girl."

"I love you."

"I love you too, Luce. Go to sleep."


End file.
